We’ve known it for years, but ingredients derived from Africa are the next big thing in the world of beauty.
With rooibos, baobab and marula being the new ‘IT’ names of the beauty industry, the mainstream have finally cottoned on to the African recipe for natural beauty. However for many black women this isn’t anything new and in fact something mothers have passed down to their daughters generation after generation. Although living in the UK has significantly restricted access to these naturally produced products, the basic knowledge still remains with shea butter and African black soap staples for the modern black woman in the UK.
The sweltering heat, droughts and the high altitudes on the African continent make the perfect conditions to grow water retaining and sun resistant plants. This consequently offers the same amazing benefits to the skin. Rooibos (or redbush) for example produces hydroxy acid, which protects itself from the environment, and as a result helps skin to speed up cell renewal for brighter and more youthful looking skin. While the seed oil from the baobab tree, which grows in Namibia, Angola and Zimbabwe, is used to protect skin and hair from the harsh Sub-Saharan heat, is known for its excellent moisturising properties and for treating skin conditions such as psoriasis.
For natural skincare choices that are perfectly suited and ultimately tailored to our skin needs, look no further than Mother Africa for inspiration. And if you don’t want to travel thousands of miles or wait for a family member to bring back a month’s supply in their suitcase, then try Pride’s picks from this side of the pond.
1) Perfect Forms Form & Tonic Oil £39.95 – Containing organic oil of baobab seeds, this body oil treatment is formulated to provide a nourishing boost to the skin, improving suppleness, tone and texture.
2) Palmers Natural Shea Butter £4.99 – Enriched with vitamin E the butter soothes and nourishes very dry skin easily. The rich and creamy texture simply soaks into the skin.
3) African Botanics Pure Marula Oil £60 – This is a light textured facial oil rich in vitamins C, E and natural antioxidants that will deeply hydrate and soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and help improve skin elasticity.
4) Akamuti Liquid African Black Soap £6.50 – A creamy natural liquid soap, which can be used on the body, hands and hair, it has a high content of shea butter too making it ideal for dry skin.
5) Afriteaque Rooibos Day Cream £28 – Contains extracts of rooibos to stimulate the skin’s natural cellular renewal and limis the effect of free radicals.
6) Oh-lief Natural Body Oil with Green Rooibos & Roman Chamomile £24.99- This is made with a blend of South Africa’s purest organic oils and infused with native green rooibos extract, known to be over 200 times more powerful than vitamin E.
